Subcutaneous metastasis of prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES Prostate cancer tends to spread to regional lymph nodes and bone, and, to a lesser degree, to lung, liver, and brain. Metastases in other locations are exceptional. To review the frequency and clinical characteristics of metastasis to subcutaneous cellular tissue in adenocarcinoma of the prostate. METHODS The case of a 71-year-old man diagnosed of adenocarcinoma of the prostate is reported. The patient underwent radical prostatectomy and artificial sphincter for stress urinary incontinence. RESULTS During follow-up the patient showed biochemical progression, local recurrence, and bone metastasis. The disease metastasized in the subcutaneous tissue around the reservoir of the artificial sphincter. CONCLUSIONS Prostate cancer is highly prevalent in our part of the world. The clinical finding of metastasis in organs other than bone or regional lymph nodes is accompanied by a short survival. Metastases in subcutaneous tissue may be underdiagnosed due to its indolent clinical course and possible absence of PSA elevation. In any case, subcutaneous metastases have an unfavorable prognosis.